The effect of individual differences in the development of metacognitive strategy knowledge

The aim of this study was to investigate the development of metacognitive strategy knowledge (MSK) during schooling at the upper secondary education level and to examine its relation with individual student characteristics. This longitudinal study with two measurement points analyzed a sample of students in grades 10 and 11 from 19 schools preparing students for university in Switzerland. The findings showed no development of MSK within a single year of school. Individual differences appeared in the level and the change of MSK over time. Female students as well as students with higher SES displayed higher MSK than male students and students with lower SES at the first measurement point. Furthermore, SES predicted changes in MSK over time. Between learning motivation and MSK as well as self-efficacy and MSK, high correlations were found at t1. Neither learning motivation nor self-efficacy had an effect on the change of MSK over time. The results show that there is still substantial potential for MSK development at the upper secondary education level. Implications for education and further studies are discussed.     

Lernkompetenzen als Bildungsstandards — eine Diskussion der Umsetzungsmöglichkeiten

In Deutschland liegt seit 2003 ein Konzept zur Entwicklung nationaler Bildungsstandards vor. Bildungsstandards beziehen sich auf einen bestimmten Lernbereich. Innerhalb der Standards dieser Lernbereiche sollen zudem f?cherübergreifende Bildungsziele als Standards berücksichtigt werden. Lernkompetenzen, die in diesem Artikel fokussiert werden. stehen in einer Zusammenstellung m?glicher f?cherübergreifender Bildungsziele an erster Stelle. Im Gegensatz zur Umsetzung von fachlichen Kompetenzen als Bildungsstandards liegen bislang allerdings keine Vorschl?ge vor, wie Lernkompetenzen innerhalb der Standards der einzelnen Lernbereiche umgesetzt werden k?nnen. Der vorliegende Artikel soll einen Beitrag zur Kl?rung der Frage leisten, inwiefern dies auf der Basis des vorliegenden Konzepts nationaler Bildungsstandards realisierbar ist. Die Diskussion zwei der zentralsten Punkte des Bildungsstandardskonzepts zeigt. dass sich Lernkompetenzen ohne eine Reformulierung des Referenzrahmens von Bildungsstandards nur partiell als Standards umsetzen lassen. Im letzten Kapitel werden in der Folge Umsetzungsm?glichkeiten zur Etablierung von Lernkompetenzen als Bildungsstandards diskutiert.     

Special Education at the Crossroad: An Identity Crisis and the Need for a Scientific Reconstruction

Special education is losing its identity—its visibility, distinctiveness, budget, and basic functions are all at risk. Special education functions include (a) sorting, categorizing, and labeling students who need it; (b) making the right comparisons; (c) honoring diversity but changing particular differences; (d) managing stigma; (e) making subjective judgments and risking errors; (f) dealing with students’ failures; and (g) adequate financing in addition to maintaining visibility and status and having its own budget and personnel. It cannot exist without these functions, all of which are criticized or on the decline. Special education must also be reconstructed on the basis of sound science, not alternative narratives or nonscientific ways of knowing that do not help students with disabilities learn all they can. The need for a scientific reconstruction and implications for special education’s future are discussed.     

Depression among students with learning disabilities: assessing the risk

Researchers have found that students with learning disabilities (LD) obtain statistically higher scores on measures of depression than their peers without LD. However, what is not known is whether students with LD display greater levels of clinical depression than their peers without LD. If they do, then special education services should address this area of concern. If they do not, then the current mental health system may be adequate to treat children and adolescents with depression regardless of whether they have concomitant LD. The purpose of this study was to meta-analyze the data-based literature and quantify mean differences in depression measure scores and levels of clinical depression between students with and without LD.